Variable feeding mechanism



Oct. 9,1928. 1,687,241

w. F. GRUPE VARIABLE FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 9, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet1 r ENTOR,

flATTORNEY.

Oct. 9, 1928.

2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. 1925 L 7 v 6 R Y m w M M 4 a a w E 1/ N R hu vw w. o e w 9 1 N O 5 HA v JVI. 5 a. u B 4 v m flFlDlflr m V: v m t \l,IUIAJUIQ M Patented Oct. 9, 1928.

UNITED STATES ,6 41. PATENT orrics.

WHJJIAH I. GBUPE, OI LYD TDHUBST, I NIW JERSEY, ASBiGNOR T0 PEERLESSROLL 14m 00., ENG, 01' m YOBK, N.Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

vmanm rnnnme momma Application fled lebmary This invention relates toimprovements in variable feeding mechanisms.

My invention is particularly adapted as an attachment to standardimpression ma- .5 chines, stamping machines and like presses, and itwill be understood that my invention is' applicable as an integral orunitary construction with the aforesaid types of machines or of othertypes of suitable machines requiring adjustable feeding of one or morestrips of metallizing media, inking or other character of material fedin striplike form for embossing, inking, color-impressing and likeoperations.

Under date of March 31st, 1924, I filed an application for U. S. LettersPatent, entitled Variable feeder for metallized transfer rolls, SerialNo. 703,217, maturing as U. S. Patent No. 1,526,209, under date ofFebruary 1Oth, 1925, wherein I have set forth and claimed various formsof variable feeding attachments for stamping and other impressionmachines, and wherein the adjustment of the extents of feeding of therespective strips is individually regulated by means of manipulatabledevices such as knurled heads respectively associated with inch-markeddials or the like, and wherein provision is made for the positiveapplication of a stop for each feed roller at its stages of terminationof its feeding movement, and thereby preventing by intermittentlyoperated means the overthrow of the fed strip; and provision is alsomade for positively applying individual brakes for the respectivefeeding rolls in their return or non-feeding movements.

In the present invention, the adjustment for the setting of the extentsof the feed of the respective strips is attained by the provision ofadjustable cranks for the respective feed rolls, which cranks areapplied to suitable actuating parts of the stamping or other impressionmachine and disposed 1n proper synchronism with the actuation of suchparts and of the inclined angle plate or equivalent of the impressionmachine to which is fed the bookcase or cover or other article to beimpressed.- The actuation of each feed roll is preferably attained bymeans of a rack or equivalent combined with a ratchet or clutch .orequivalent for the unidirectional drive of each feed roll in its feedingmovement and the return of each rack by the idle movement of its ratchetor clutch which maintains the feed roll qui scent. The crank ispreferably 9,1625. Serial No. aoaa.

adjusted to provide for the termination of its feeding movement of itsfeed roll at the sta e of 1s mmnnum travel, thereby obviating thenecesslty of intermittently operated brakes individually for the feedrolls.

By the present form of my invention, there 1s attained simplicity of theinstallation of my mechanism for feeding a plurality of strlps oftransfer metal or other roll leaf to many forms of printing or otherimpression machines. My present invention also at tains a form offeeding of the strip of transfer roll leaf character zed by a relativelow rate of travel of the strip at its stage of its mitlal feedinmovement atthe beginning of which stage t e strip is uiescent and thenis detached from the heate die, whereafter the rate of travel of thestrip is increased durin an intermediate period, and finally the traveof the strip is reduced in its rate until it is again qu escent,preparatory to being again brought 1nto contact with the heated die forthe next impression.

My present invention also re resents a more simplified form of adjustabe feeding and attains adjustment of the feeding of the res ectivestrips.

urther features and objects of the invention will be more fullyunderstood from the following detail description and the accompanyingdrawings, in which 1 a Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a standard stampingmachine equipped-with oneform of my invention; this view indicates alsothe movement of the platen or angle plate and of its assoclated partsand also of one of the angle brackets for controlling the feed of thestrlp of transfer roll leaf;

Fig. 2 is a detail, in side elevation, with a part broken away, of oneof the rack and ratchet roll drive mechanisms Fig. 3 is, an elevation asviewed from the plane 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevation as viewed on line 44 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail at 5--5, Fig. 1.

. The press shown is of a known type including the base 10 on which theplaten 11 is mounted for pivotal, swinging movement in any known orsuitable way. The platen is oscillated by pitmen 14 located at o positesides of the base, these being pivota y connected to the platenstructure at 15 and each bein connected at the other end to a eran pin16 projecting from a crank disc 17 These crankdiscs are fixed toopposite ends of a shaft 18 which extends across the machine and ismounted in suitable bearmgs,

not definitely shown. A'large gear 19 is also secured on s aft 18 in oneside of the machine, and this gear is driven by a pinion 20 secured on ashaft 64, which also carries the fly wheel 21. 22 are guides or holdersto 00-0 crate with the platen in receiving and hol 1ng a book cover 23or similar article to be impressed. I

Usually, the fly wheel 21 is located at the left-hand side of theimpression machine as viewed from the normal position of the operatorwhen standing in front of the machine (or at the left in Fig. 1), in theoperation of manually feeding successive bookcases 23 upon the feedingangle plate 11 for impression by means of the die 24 and the metallized,inking or other transfer media sup lied by the strips as is set forthmore particu arly heremafter. I

To equip such and like forms of impression machines with my invention, Iprovide the open frame 28 mounted by means of the oppositelydisposedbrackets 29 on the sub- Lstantially vertical bed plate 30. Eachbracket 29 is shown secured by means of its bolts 31, positionedinsuitable threaded openings tapped in the sides of the vertical bedplate 30. Such open frame 28 carries the respective sets of feed rollsdescribed morefully hereinafter for feeding the strips of metallizing orother media.

Coactin with each set of feed rolls, I provide an a justable slottedcrank arm 32 for attaining the desired variable throw of its respectiverack 33 or 34, at the opposite sides of the impression machine. Theadjustable cranks 32 are respectively set in'proper synchronism with theactuation of the feeding angle plate 11 and its actuating parts by theprovision of the brackets 35, adj ustably set by means of the nuts 36and locking pins 36, see Fig. 5, to the respective ends 14 of the pitmen14. Bysetting the clamping bolt 37 of each rack 33, 34 relative to theadjusting groove 38 of the respective adjustable cranks 32, the extentsof throw of the racks 33, 34 are individually regulated.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, the righthand rack 33 may serve toregulate the feeding movement of the lower set of feeding rolls 39,40'for controlling the extent of feeding of the strip'41, shown at theleft in Fig. 3. The stroke of the rack 33 in its feeding movement of itsfeeding rolls 39,40 is downwardly, as is indicated by the arrow 42. inFigs. 1 and 2, and the return stroke of the rack 33 in its non-feedingmovement of the feeding rolls 39, 40 is in a direction opposite to thatof the arrow 42. As one form of positive driving connection between therack 33 and its feeding rolls 39, 40, I provide a centrally hollow gear43 Whose teeth mesh with the teeth of the rack 33, and within the gear43 I provide the friction roller clutch or ratchet or equivalentunidirectional drive connection, the clutch member 45. of which is keyedor otherwise secured to the shaft 46 and rovided with wedge-shapedrecesses 47 w ich ma be four in number as indicated in Fig. 2, anrespectively receiving the cylindrical rollers 48. Accordingly, uponmovement of the rack 33 in its actuation stroke in the direction of thearrow 42, the gear 43 is rotated in the direction of the arrow, see Fig.3, whereby the cylindrical rollers 48 are forced within the constrictedportions of the wedgeshaped recesses 47 to close the clutch 44 andthereby rotate the shaft 46 also in the direction of the arrow. The feedroll-39, which may be termed the main feeding roll,is splined orotherwise secured to its shaft 25. Its coactin or auxiliary feed roll 40is mounted in suitable close adjacency to the main feed roll 39, as onthe shaft 50 mounted in the oppositely disposed bearings 51, see Fig. 3,1n the frame 28, which shaft 50 carries the gear 52, the teeth of whichmesh with the gear 53 keyed on the shaft 25, to provide for positiveactuation between the main feed roll 39 and 4 its auxiliary feed roll40:

In a similar manner, the rack 34 is connected by similar drivingconnection with its set of main feeding roll 54 and auxiliary feed roll55 and preferably by a similar clutch or ratchet movement providin for aunidirectional actuation of the fee ing rolls 54, 55'

by the rack 34, and like parts are designated by like reference numbers.The provision of ositive gearing between the auxiliary feeding roll 55and its main feed roll 54 is preferably similar to that of the auxiliaryfeeding roll 40 relative to its main feed roll 39, and like parts aredesignated by like reference characters. The strip of metallized orother transfer medium fed by the rolls 54, 55 is marked 41.

It will be noted that the auxiliary rolls 40, 55 are respectively oflesser diameter than their respective main rolls 39, 54, therebyproviding for an increased movement of the auxiliary rolls .40, 55relative to their main rolls 39, 54 and thus creating continuoustautness in the resepective strips 41 and 41 fed b the respective setsof feeding rolls.

For the purpose of attaining a simplified form of the open frame 28, theauxiliary feeding-roll 40 may be disposed horizontally at one'side ofits main feeding roll 39, whereas the auxiliary feeding roll 55 may beposisets of feeding rolls with a braking device, this being desirablewhen the feed ng rolls are of large size. Such braking devices may be ofthe type of continuous braking action, in which event the brakin devicema be in the form of a strap 56 of metal or t e like encircling theexposed end 46 of the shaft 46, of the feed roll 39, and similarly atthe exposed end of the shaft of the feed roll- 54,.

the opposing port-ions of which" strap 56 are adj ustablypinchedrelative to oneanother by means of the bolt 57 passing throughsultable openings in the two portions of the strap 56. The free end orends 58 of the strap 56 are held in posit-ion by the oppositely disposedretaining pins 59, 60. The rolls of metallized strips or like media maybe conveniently located in therecess 61 usually present'below thevertical bed plate or a suitable open frame or like carrier rovided. InFig. 1, one roll of fresh metallized media is indicated at 63, the freelength 41 of which is threaded between the coact-ing feeding rolls 54,55, and a like roll of fresh media supplies the length 41 threadedbetween the coactingfeeding rolls 39, 40.

The main shaft of the impression machine v is indicated at 64, which isusually provided with fast and loose pulleys for receiving a drivingbelt, or such main shaft 64 may be driven by an electric motor directlyor through suitable gearing as may be desired.

The operation of the parts of my invention will be largely understoodfrom the above description. Itwill be appreciated that my inventionprovides for the feeding of one, two or more strips to any desiredadjusted extents. For economy of metallized medium,

one strip, say the strip 41 serves to feed the required metallizing orother medium to the portion of the die of greater length of impressionand the other strip 41 fed to the portion of the die of relativelyreduced length. Similarly, two or more-strips may be fed to like extentby the set of feed rolls 39, 40, and likewise two or more strips may befed to like extent by theset of feed rolls 54, 55.

It will be observed that the stage of move ment of the strips 41, 41relative to their respective portions of the die 24 takes place at astage when the angle plate 11 is not in close adjacency to the verticalbed plate 62 and as indicated in Fig. 1 the feeding of the two strips41, 41 takes place simultaneously at J the stage when the angle plate 11moves in its direction away from the vertical bed plate 62.

The used portion of the strip 41 passes beyond 'the feeding rolls 54, 55rea-rw'ardly of the impression machine as indicated by the arrow 65, seeFig. 3, and the used portion of the strip 41 passes beyond its set offeeding rolls 39, 40 in a similar manner, as will be apparent from Fig.3.

It will also be observed that the stage of termination of the feedingmovement of the tive actuation of the feeding rolls 39, 40 and Ifdesired, two dies 24, 24*, see Fig. 4, may be employed.

In Figs. 3 and 4, I have indicated tw'o strips 41*, 41 fed by the set offeed rollers 54, 55 to equal extents relative to the die 24, whereas butone strip 41 is fed by the other set of feed rollers 39, 40 to itsdesired extent.

The adjustable cranks 32 are referably marked in scale indicationsextending longitudinally of the adjusting grooves 38 corresponding tothe extents of actuation of the feeding rolls in inches, centimeters orother linear unit.

To conveniently equip the standard press illustrated in the drawingswith suitable means for heating the die or dies 24, 24, one or moreelectrical heaters 67 preferably in the form of metal blocks enclosingthe resistance wire in insulated relation therewithin, are employed,which heaters are preferably positioned within slots or rooves planedwithin the face of the vertical plate 30. The die or dies 24, 24 areremovably secured to the outer face of such heater or heaters 67 byscrews, clamps or the like. The switches of ihe set of heaters 67 areindicated at 68, see

or convenience of manufacture, the feedrolls 39, 40, 54, 55 are ofsubstantially cylindrical .contour and extend from one side to theopposite side of the frame 28; the cylindrical faces of the aforesaidrolls are usually milled to effect substantial frictional engagementwith the rolls.

The residue of the impressions on the strip 41 are indicated in Fig. 3at 69, and the residue of the impressions in the strips 41, 41 arerespectively indicatedat 70, 71, see Fig. 3, and at like spacings fromone another.

From the above, it will be apparent that my invention provides a mostsimple form of previous to this stage was brought with its,

paper'face into contact with the heated die respective strips fed by thefeed strip feed-attachment for printing presses 7 adjustable slottedcrank arm 32 is indicated by the movement of the platen 11 from its fulloutline position shown in Fig. 1 to its position shown by the dot'anddash outline 11, such movement of the platen 11 causing the book-case 23or other article to be impressed to engage the metallized face of thetransfer strip. Often, such action on the transfer strip causes it tocling more or less to the face of the die, and accordingly such slowinitial movement of the transfer strip separates by a gentle motion thetransfer stri from the die. The dposition of the cran bracket 35correspon ing to the position of the dot and dash outline position 11 ofthe laten, is indicated by the dot and dash outine 35 and thecorresponding position ofthe at 32, which at this stage and rotating inthe direction indicated by the arrow 70, effects a minimum displacementof the roll'actuating rack 34; upon the continued rotation of the crankarm 32 it im arts an increasing rate of displacement of t e rack 34until a maximum rate is attained, whereafter the rate of travel of therack 34 is gradually reduced until. it is brought again to quiescence,at which stage the transfer strip is prepared for the next impression tobe made therefrom. A similar action takes place relative to the rack 33;

The feeding of the transfer strips bythe racks 33, 34, is carried out bythe use of feed rolls, as above set forth, and accordingly, the abovecharacter of motion imparted to the racks 33, 34, is likewise impartedto the feed rolls, with attendant advantages of automatically overcomingthe momentum or inertia of the respective feed rolls.

Whereas, I have described my invention by reference to specifidformsthereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications maybe made without departing from the s irit of the invention.

I c aim:

1. The combination with suitable die-holding means, suitable means forfeeding" an justably connecting said devices respectively with saidactuating means in synchronism therewith and to regulate the extents offeeding of the respective strips of impression media fed by said feedingrolls relative to the die.

p 2. The combination with suitable die-hold ing means, suitable meansfor feeding an article to be impressed by the die and suitable means foractuating said feeding means, of a plurality of feeding rolls, means forsupportlng a plurality of strips of impression media to be fed by saidfeeding rolls respectively, a plurality of racks for individuallyactuating said feeding rolls and means for adjustably connecting saidracks respectively with said actuating means for reciprocating andbodily oscillating said, racks in synchronism therewith including aninitial stage of substantial period at a relatively low speed and toregulate the extents of feeding of the respective strips of impressionmedia fed by said feeding rolls relative to the die.

3. The combination with suitable die-holding means, suitable means forfeeding an article to be impressed by the die and suitable means foractuating said feeding means, of a, plurality of feeding rolls, meansfor supporting a plurality of strips of impression media to be fed bysaid feeding rolls respectively, a plurality of devices for individuallyactuating said feeding rolls by a movement including an initial stage ofsubstantial period at a relatively low speed, each of said feedingdevices including a unidirectional actuating member and means foradujstably connecting said devices respectively with said actuatingmeans in synchronism therewith and to regulate the extents of feeding-0f the res ective strips of impression media by said ceding rollsrelative to the die.

4. The combination with suitable dieholding means, suitable means forfeeding an articleto be impressed by the die and suitable means foractuating said feeding means, of a plurality of feed n rolls, means forsupporting aplurality 0% strips of impression media to be'fed by saidfeeding rolls respectively, a plurality of devices for individuallyactuating said feeding rolls by a' movement including an initial stageof substantial period at a relatively low speed, each of said feedingdevices including a clutch, and means for adjustably connecting saiddevices respectively with said actuating means in synchronism therewithand to regulate theextents of feeding of the respective strips ofimpression media fed by said feeding rolls relative to the die.

5. The combination with suitable die-holding means, suitable means forfeeding an article to be impressed by the die and suitable means foractuating said feeding means, of a plurality of feeding rolls, means forsupporting a plurality of strips of impression media to be fed by saidfeeding rolls respectively, a plurality of devices for individuallyactuating said feeding rolls by a movement including an initial stage ofsubstantial period at a relatively low speed, each of said feedingdevices including a rack and a unidirectional actuating member, andmeans for adjustably connecting said racks respectively with saidactuating means in synchronism therewith and to regulate the ex i tentsof feedin of the respective strips of impression me ia' fed by saidfeedingrolls relative to the die. 6. The combination with suitabledie-holding means, suitable means for feeding an article to be impressedby the die and suitable'meansfor tuating said feeding means,

ofa luralit o feeding rolls, means for supporting a p urality of stripsof impression media to be fed by said feeding rolls respec tively, aplurality of devices for individually actuating said feeding rolls by amovement including an initial stage of substantial riod at a relativelylow speed, each of said" ifeding devices includin a rack and a clutchand means for adjust-ably connecting said racks respectively with saidactuating means in synchronism therewith and to regulate the extents offeeding of the respective strips of impression media fed by saidfeedingro ls relative to the die.

7. The combination with suitable die-holding means, suitable means forfeeding an articleto be impressed by the die and suitable means foractuating said feeding means, of a pluralit of feeding rolls, means forsupporting a p urality of striglsnofimpression media to be fed by saidfee g rolls respectively, a pluralityof devices'for individuallyactuating said feeding rolls by a movement including an initial stage ofsubstantial period at a relatively low speed, each of said feedingdevices includin a rack and a ratchet clutch, and means or adj ustablyconnecting said racks respectively with said actuating means in syncronism therewith and to regulate the extents of feeding of therespective strips of impression media fed by said feeding rolls relativeto the die.

8. The combination with suitable die-holding means, suitable means forfeeding an article to be impressed by the die and suitable means foractuating said article feeding means, of a pluralit of feeding rolls,means for supporting a p urality-of strips of impression media to be fedby said plurality of feeding rolls, a plurality of'arms, each armindividually actuating one of said feeding rolls, and ad'nstable meansfor bodily reciprocating an oscillating said arms respec tively withsaid actuating means, said adjustable means including a cam, set toattain the ending limit of the throw of its feed roller of said gears tothereby regulate the extents article to be impressed by the die andsuitable means for actuating said article feeding means, of a pluralityof feeding rolls, means for supporting a plurality of. strips ofimpression media to be fed by said plurality of feeding rolls, aplurality of arms, each arm individually actuating one of said feed ngrolls, and adjustable means for connect ng said arms respectively'withsald actuatmg means, said adjustable means includin a cam set toinitiate the throw of its eed roller actuating movement at a reducedspeed.

rolls, and adjustable means for connecting said arms respectively withsaid actuating means, said adjustable means including a cam set toattain the ending limit of the throw of its feed roller actuatingmovement at a reduced speed and to initiate the throw of its feed rolleractuating movement at a reduced speed.

11. A feeding mechanism for stamping and other lmpression machinesprovided with die-holding means; comprising suitablemeansfor supportinga plurality of strips of lmpresslon material; and means for feedin saidplurallty of strips respectively to sai die-holding means to regulatableextentsby,

a. movement including an initial stage of substantial period at arelatively low speed, said feeding means comprisin a plurality of searate pairs of feeding r0 ls, means for ind vidually regulating theextents of feeding movement of said pairs of feeding rolls respect velyand means driven from the im- PIfiSSlOIl machme for actuating saidfeeding r0 s.

12. A feeding mechanism for stamping and other impression machinesprovided with die-holding means; comprising means for supporting aplurality 0 strips of impresslon material; and means for feeding saidplurality of strips simultaneously respectively to said die-holdingmeans to regulatable extents, said feeding means comprising an openframe, a plurality of separate pairs of feeding rolls, said rolls being.rotatably mounted in said open frame, each of said rollsbeingsubstantially cylindrical and ex-- tending substantially from oneside of said open frame to the opposite side thereof, sepa rate trainsof gears respectively drivin said pairs of feeding rolls, means forindividually regulating the extents of driving movement d b saidplurality of feeding rolls,

sion material; and means for feedin said plurality of stripsrespectively to sai dieholding means to regulatable extents, saidfeeding means com rising a plurality of se arate airs of feeding rolls,means for ind ividual y regulating the extents of feeding movement ofsaid pairs of feedin rolls respectively and adjustable means driven fromt e impression machine for actuating sald feeding rolls by a movementincluding an initial stage of substantial "period at avrelatively lowspeed. 14. A feeding mechanism for stamping and other impressionmachines provided with'die-holding means; comprising means forsupporting a plurallty of strips of im? pression material; and means forfeeding said plurality of strips simultaneously respectively to saiddie-holding means to regulatable extents, said feeding means comprisingan open frame, a plurality of feeding rolls. sald rolls bein rotatablymounted in said 0 11 frame, eac of said rolls being substantiallycylindricalv and extending substantially from one side of said openframe to the opposite side thereof, separate trains of gears respectvely driving said pluralityof feeding rolls, means for individuallyregulating the extents of driving movement of said gears to WILLIAM F. GrE.

